Target - a BatmanSuperman crossover
by waitingtofly
Summary: Lois Lane goes missing and winds up in Gotham City in Lex Luthor's clutches. What is Lex doing in Gotham? Will Clark, Bruce, and Chloe work together in time to save Lois? *novel I wrote while I was in college back in 2006*


**Target: A Superman/Batman Crossover**

Written by: Diana Jo Stein/duenkel

Warm rays from the Earth's golden sun energized Superman as he flew above Metropolis.

Below him, horns blared and traffic slowly crawled like that of a tortoise. Taxi cabs weaved in and out of lanes trying to stay one step ahead of the traffic. Pedestrians overpowered the sidewalks and hurried to their destinations.

Superman flew higher, enjoying the feeling of the sun's rays on his skin. For Superman, the Earth's sun sort of made him who he was. The yellow sun not only energized him but also gave him powers far beyond those of ordinary humans. Real humans, and his stomach suddenly lurched. The thought normally snuck up on him when he least expected it. The knowledge of what he was – an alien from the planet Krypton living on Earth. The last being of his home planet. An imposter passing as human reporter Clark Kent.

Shortly after he was born, his Kryptonian parents, Lara and Jor-El, had put him in a crystal rocket ship and sent him to the planet Earth. This was because Jor-El had forseen that Krypton was doomed. The red sun of Krypton had gone nova and had swallowed the planet, completely destroying it. Everyone on Krypton died, to Superman's knowledge, everyone but him.

His rocket ship had crashed in a corn field near Martha and Jonathon Kent's farm in Smallville, Kansas. The sterile couple took him in and raised him as their own son. Until he was twelve, he had thought he was their son. Until the day he flew.

Jor-El had known that the Earth's sun would give him super powers that he hoped would help him survive. But Lara had worried that he would feel different and alone. Alone…..

A fire alarm blaring somewhere in Metropolis city jolted Superman back to his senses. Carefully, he focused with his superhearing to locate the source. Somewhere near the East perimeter, he deciphered.

Adding now to the alarm, he could now hear sirens from fire engines. He searched quickly with his x-ray vision and spotted the fire in a janitorial area at Kung's Chinese Restaurant. As he dove towards the blaze, he saw customers rushing out of Kung's like a bunch of confused ants on a rained-out ant hill. A window from the kitchen area shattered adding panic to the people's confusion. The fire had now entered there! Glass spewed in all directions. Smoke poured from the new opening.

Superman glided through the window opening into the inferno. Flames shot up the wall and hungrily licked the ceiling. A lot of the kitchen appliances were ablaze. Superman took a deep breath and blew frozen air as fast as he was able. Like candles on a birthday cake, the flames flickered and then died.

"Good job," a woman's voice called from the front awning of the restaurant. "You just saved the today's Chinese special on everyone's plates in the dining room. Not to mention countless of jobs."

Superman glanced towards the still hanging awning and smiled.

Lois Lane, star reporter of the Daily Planet, stood clutching a Chinese take-out carton grinning at him. She was dressed in a trim red suit and her dark brown hair fell in waves at her shoulders. The sight of her as always, took his breath away.

"I was getting lunch for on my break." She said.

Superman nodded. "You know, Lois, you should have left the building when the alarm sounded."

Lois frowned. "I started to when I smelled the smoke. But then I began to wonder why the sprinklers hadn't gone off. So I…."

"Had to find out," Superman finished. Just as a good reporter should, he thought. "And have you?"

"Not yet," Lois answered as she stepped closer and gazed into his deep brown trusting eyes. "But I will."

Lois Lane burst into the bull pen of the Daily Planet, a sense of exuberance filled her. She rushed past editors, copyboys, photographers, and reporters whom were wolfing down fast food lunches at their desks while banging out stories for the evening edition.

Ignoring the hum of voices from the wall-mounted TV monitors that showed breaking stories from around the world, Lois made a sprint for her boss Perry White's office.

"Chief! I think I've got you a page one exclusive for the evening edition!" she bursted with a fire of intensity in her hazel eyes. "Superman just put out a fire at Kung's Chinese Restaurant. He used super breath and never even used a hand. The sprinklers had malfunctioned and they suspect cleaning chemicals mixed with…"

The silver haired editor in chief looked up from the photos disgruntled that he had received from the reddish blonde haired Jimmy Olson. Jimmy Olson, the copyboy/photographer looked hopeful. "Lois!" the Chief exploded. "Can't you see I'm in the middle of something?"

Jimmy turned towards the intense mannered woman and grinned. "Hi, Lois!"

"Hey, Jimmy." She responded.

Perry was holding a stack of Jimmy's most recent photos, and Jimmy was trying to sell Perry one of them. "Did you get any photos of Superman?" he turned and asked Lois.

Lois rolled her eyes. "I'm a reporter, Chief. I write; not take photographs."

Perry glared at Lois. "And I write newspapers; not novels. Jimmy, go over to Kung's Chinese Restaurant and take some photos of the damage."

"Gosh, thanks Chief!" Jimmy stammered and dashed out the door.

"Get me front page!" Perry shouted after him.

An hour later, Clark Kent strolled down one of the side aisles and settled into a desk beside Lois's. He smiled smugly at the sight of Lois bent over her keyboard, typing furiously. "What's up?" he asked.

"Superman," she muttered. "Fire. Super breath."

Clark grinned. One of the most enjoyable things about being Superman was having Lois report on his adventures. But he couldn't let her get all the excellent stories. He was after all her most successful rival!

"Guess you missed the runaway train at the Metropolis subway train station." Clark said as he began to type. "Superman got there just in time!"

"What?!" Lois squinted at him suspiciously.

"I listened to the police bands, and went down there to check it out." Clark said, not looking up from the keyboard.

Lois narrowed her hazel eyes. "Did you get yourself an exclusive interview?"

"Yes," Clark typed a while longer, keeping her in suspense a while longer. "But only with eye witnesses."

"Good," Lois muttered and went back to her own story.

"Of course I have pictures," Clark said, stifling a grin. "I got them from a person with a cell phone camera there. I'm forwarding them to Perry so he can pay the person. I'd say they're page one material."

"Good work, Kent and Lois!" Perry White said as he stared at their Superman stories that sat on his desk in front of him.

Jimmy Olson rushed into Perry's office. "Chief! I got your pictures from Kung's Chinese Restaurant!" he plopped the photos down on his desk. He looked expectantly at Lois. Hoping she'd approve of the pictures he got to go with her story.

"Kent, your story and picture go on page one," Perry said. "Lois, your article below his with Olson's picture with the conclusion of your story on page two."

Lois was appalled. "Page two?!"

Jimmy grinned and sighed in relief. "Thanks, Chief!"

Lois frowned as Jimmy congratulated Clark on getting page one. "Sometimes I wonder if our paper is too dependent on Superman stories to help sell our paper."

Clark glanced back at Lois intrigued. "You're not bored with Superman already, are you?"

"No! He's amazing," Lois sighed dreamily. She then frowned. "I just worry that's all."

"Well, there are other stories happening in the world. We just haven't gotten to them yet," Perry admitted.

Jimmy happily piped up. "The Web's buzzing with rumors that Lex Luthor is teaming up with Bruce Wayne to buy some of the businesses in both Metropolis and Gotham to make profits to the Make a Wish Foundation."

Perry turned to Jimmy. "We'll let the Gossip section cover that one."

As they left Perry White's office several minutes later, Lois spoke to Jimmy. "You know, that Lex Luthor/Bruce Wayne story idea wasn't bad." She snatched her purse from her desk and raced toward the exit. "I'll check it out! Lex Luthor is notorious and is always finding ways to annoy Superman and try to destroy him. And him teaming with Bruce, who's a nice guy, is very strange. Besides, it's been a while since I interviewed Lex Luthor anyway."

"Lois! Wait! You shouldn't go alone." Jimmy protested, hoping Miss Lane would take him with her to get photos.

"Jimmy, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. I don't always need a partner to help cover everything." Lois looked deliberately at Clark. "Besides, you never know when they're going to steal your page one spot."

Clark winced. He had out beat Lois and now she was worried about losing her spot as the Chief's favorite.

"Clark can have Superman. I'll take Lex Luthor." Lois snapped and sprinted out the bull pen doors.

Clark glanced after Lois. Lois had a true investigative reporter's feel for a story. When she was on to something she normally stuck with it. No matter the reason behind it. But for this he felt bad. For he was her reason this time around, that he was certain. He never meant to hurt her. He just wanted to prove to her that he was as good as she was. Wanted to make Lois see him for who he really was. A good partner. And maybe something more…

Lois rang the doorbell to the Luthor mansion and waited. No one came. Lois heard Mozart playing from inside. Lois opened the door and carefully stepped inside. "Lex?" she called warily. She had once had dinner with this rich man but nothing else. Clark seemed to hate him with a passion. Lex seemed like a good person on the outside. Rags to riches, wrong side of the track, self-made billionaire, owned dozens of companies, and was man of the year every year. However, Lois knew from Lex's experiences with Superman, that he was a bad man. One that couldn't really be trusted. Unfortunately, she never seemed to find enough evidence to land him in jail. When it came to Lex, the evidence always seemed to disappear. Magically.

Lois climbed up a set of stairs and walked through a glass corridor. The music was getting louder. And then it stopped.

Suddenly, the door at the end of the hallway opened. A bald man in a bath robe stood there, with a toothbrush in his mouth. Lex Luthor raised his eyebrows. "Lois Lane!"

Lois soon found herself sitting in Luthor's main office in his mansion. It was furnished with a magnificent desk, valuable pieces of art, a fire place that was burning, and French doors leading out to a wide balcony.

"I heard from the Net that you and Mr. Bruce Wayne are doing some business together?" Lois began.

Lex's eyes lit up. "Fishing for an interview?"

"It's been a while since you were a head line, Lex." Lois pulled out her tape recorder from her pocket, along with a pad and a pen from her purse.

"And what do you wish to know?" Lex cunningly gleamed.

"I want to know the truth," Lois answered in a professional, earnest tone. "But I don't want a standard line."

"Miss Lane, what do you know about business collaboration?" Lex paced in front of her.

Lois leaned back on the leather chair and shrugged. "They make a load of money to help themselves and charities."

"Not all. They also own more places. Own more land. Own more parts of the world!" Lex exclaimed excitedly.

More places. More land. More parts of the world. Lex wasn't in it for charities like Bruce Wayne was.

"Why?" was the single question that escaped her lips.

"World domination, Miss Lane. Think of what all a person can do with all that land, and money, and power!"

Lois was beginning to think that maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea after all. Cause now Lex was starting to look crazy murderous.

"I'll start with Bruce Wayne's companies, then Bill Gates, and then I'll take over the world slowly. I'll have millions at my fingertips!"

Lois stared at him. Thousands of people would be cheated, hurt, or destroyed on Lex's mission. The devastation would be unfathomable.

Lex grinned maniacally. "Come on, Miss Lane. Say it."

"You're insane."

Lex shook his head. "No. Not that. Most would say brilliant instead. But come on, you know what I'm talking about…just say it!"

"Superman will never let you…"

"Wrong!" Lex Luthor shouted. "Mind over muscle, Miss Lane! Superman will be a little preoccupied looking for you to see if you're really dead….or alive. So he won't be bothering me."

"What do you mean?" a confused Lois dared to ask. Even though she had a sinking feeling she did know what he meant.

"Duh! He cares for you, and when he sees your car mysteriously blown up with no dead body in it…" Lex allowed his voice to trail.

Lois sank into her seat on the chair in fear. Too frozen in fear to move her legs or even scream for Superman. "What are you going to do with me while you set your plan into motion?" she found her voice to finally ask.

"You're too cute to kill so…" Lex reached towards Lois and a small puff of gas shot from his sleeve. The back of Lois's throat stung and she gasped. She coughed into her fist and then passed out in Lex Luthor's chair. Her world going black.

Lex Luthor dragged the unconscious Lois into a lead lined cell with a bed. One of his many attires to his mansion in case he ran into trouble. Trouble that could mess with his plans.

It would take Superman a while to find Lois. By the time he'd find her, Lex figured he'd have Bruce Wayne's and Bill Gate's companies. Which covers a good 95% of the world. And Lois would be near death due to dehydration and that coma inducing gas that he sprayed on her. As he slammed the lead door closed and twisted the lock, he smiled. Lois had walked right into a trap and hadn't realized it. And now Superman was about to do the same. Lex could hardly wait.

He strode out to the front of his mansion and spotted Lois's red Honda parked in his drive.

A menacing grin spread from ear to ear on Lex's face. Time for phase two of his plan.

It was 5:30 p.m. at the Daily Planet and the bullpen was nearly deserted. Clark stalked out of the bathroom towards his desk still feeling a little disturbed about what Lois had said to him. He had never meant to hurt her ego. He had only intended on making her try to notice him.

Jimmy looked up from his desk, his expression desolate.

Clark came to a halt. "Jimmy! What's wrong?"

Lois was missing, Jimmy had explained to him. She had gone to interview Lex Luthor and still hadn't returned yet to type up her exclusive. Clark hurried to Perry White's office. Perry White was pacing behind his desk. He looked extremely worried. Lois should've been back by now so they'd have a head line for the morning edition. Something had gone terribly wrong.

"I heard the news," Clark said. "How can I help?"

"I've tried her cell phone, but there's no answer." Perry said gruffly. "You're a reporter, Kent, and you're close friends with Superman. Track her down!"

Seconds after leaving Perry White's office, Clark changed into Superman and flew out of the building in search of Lois.

In the business industry district at the corner of Main and Boulevard, a red Honda being ran by a remote control veered out of control towards a side walk that had a telephone pole on its corner.

Superman flew closer to the high scrapers. The closer he was to the ground the better he could hone in on Lois's voice.

It took only minutes for him to find Lois's red Honda. But by the time he found it….it was damaged beyond repair. And Lois was nowhere to be seen. Presumed that she was dead, Superman felt he had failed her as a hero – lover – and friend.

The sun had not quite set yet. Superman soared straight upward. Had to escape this torturous feeling. Had to do something. But he couldn't. His conscious wouldn't let him. Superman flew higher still. Up into the stratosphere. There he let out a long cry of anguish. The cry of a man who'd lost everything.

It would be three days before Clark Kent would visit the grave stone of Lois Lane that had been made for her funeral. He hadn't even attended her funeral. If he did, it would all seem too real. Like she would never come back like she had so many times to him in his dreams.

After he had found her Honda a complete wreck, he had called 9-11 anonymously. He didn't want to deal with the truth when the paramedics would pull out her horribly charred body. That she was gone. Dead.

Now here he stood with a beautiful assortment of flowers in his hand to lay next to her tombstone to say his final goodbyes to her.

Solemnly, Clark knelt down next to Lois's grave. Tears brimmed his brown eyes and threatened to cascade like a waterfall. Quietly, in a hushed whisper he spoke to her. "I'm sorry I didn't come to your funeral. I felt it was too unbearable to let you go. I'm sorry I didn't save you in time. Maybe I had found your car sooner. Maybe if I'd found it a second sooner. Then I could've seen you. And you wouldn't be here underground. You'd be typing away on your latest expose and gushing to me about Superman. Or complaining about Perry." Clark felt his throat clam up and his words began to choke him as his emotions became overpowering. "You shouldn't be dead. You should be alive. I should've saved you. God, I love you. I always have."

A cold September wind blew as Clark crossed his arms. And then as a final goodbye to Lois, Clark used his X-ray vision to see Lois's face one last time. No matter how charred it may have been.

However, when Clark x-rayed the ground she was buried beneath he discovered something shocking. There was no body! Which meant that Lois Lane was very possibly alive!

Hope surged through his heart. Lois could be alive! He had to find her and save her. But how? He could go after the lead Lois was working on before she went missing. But that was Lex Luthor and Lex was going to be gone on business to Gothom City. He was supposed to be having a business meeting with Bruce Wayne that involved Bruce's companies.

Clark then began to wonder how much the nice, handsome, and rich Mr. Wayne knew about his new corporate partner. Did Bruce know that he was working with an evil, sinister man? Or was Bruce Wayne perhaps in himself on this as well with wicked plans?

A hunch on someone who would know about Bruce, hit Clark's mind later like a bolt of lightning.

Clark's long ago friend from highschool in Smallville, Kansas. Clark's friend whom was a reporter for the Gotham Sun Times. She was also Lois Lane's cousin and happily dating billionaire Bruce Wayne. The one and the only, Ms. Chloe Sullivan.

On the airplane he took for duality identity purposes, Clark sat with his brief case on his lap. Opened was the folder file of Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne that Lois had been working on. Clark had been the last passenger to board, making it with only minutes to spare. He had to figure out what Bruce Wayne's involvement was with Lex for sure. If he did, he could find Lois and rescue her. He vowed to himself he would find her. If Lois was alive, Clark promised himself that he would reveal his true feelings to her. Tell her he loved her and that he was Superman. If only she would have him.

Entering the office later than usual, blonde and successful reporter Chloe Sullivan felt the effects of her beloved cousin's funeral finally catching up with her. She hadn't slept much, and when she'd looked in the mirror after talking to Bruce Wayne on the phone, she'd felt as sure she looked a lot more older and tired than she was. As usual, the first place she went once she got to work was the break room for a cup of coffee. This morning she threw in an extra shot of sugar to give her a huge jolt.

"Well, hello, Chloe," her boss Mr. Stratford said striding in behind her. "I thought you'd never get here!"

"Good morning," Chloe mumbled, stirring her coffee. "Sorry I'm late."

"I'm just glad you made it at all. Considering one of your closest family members died."

"I'm sorry I didn't call," Chloe apologized immediately. "I was a little worn out from the funeral. Had to take some days to collect myself."

Mr. Stratford leaned against the counter. He was tall and had grey hair. "Well, that's not a surprise. You've always told me that Lois was like a sister to you."

"Yes."

"You should see your desk. It might cheer you up. I swear I didn't peek at the note that came with it! But I think maybe your boyfriend sent it."

Confused, because her boyfriend Bruce Wayne normally didn't send her flowers at work, he sent them to her home. All Chloe could state was, "Huh?"

"Well," he said raising his eye brows slightly. "Go see for yourself."

Frowning, Chloe headed back into the newsroom. When Chloe saw her desk, she gasped. Next to the mail that had accumulated while she was gone, stood a dozen beautifully arranged carnations in a large clear vase.

"They arrived first thing this morning," Mr. Stratford had followed her to her desk.

Barely listening to Mr. Stratford, Chloe reached for the card leaning against the vase. Almost sure they weren't from Bruce, but yet desperately hoping they were because of the hell she had been through, she opened it immediately.

Instantly, shocked was she by what she read. It said:

Chloe~

Lois is alive. There was no body. You have to trust me. I need you to help me find her. Please.

Clark Kent

The card fell like a heavy rock to the floor. Chloe's face had turned an unusual shade of pale.

As if in a trance, Chloe picked up her purse and headed for the bull pen doors.

Mr. Stratford, bewildered, called after her. "Chloe, where are you going? What did it say?"

Hurriedly, and dazed, Chloe called back over her shoulder. "It's nothing! Just going out for some air! Honestly!"

And she was gone.

As Chloe walked down the winding streets of Gotham City, She was having a hard time believing Clark's note. She knew she could trust Clark's instincts. He had always been mysteriously right in high school. But on the subject of her cousin, Lois? Granted, she wanted Lois back more than anything, but honestly, she thought Clark's note was more of a rung on the grief ladder.

So immersed in her thoughts, Chloe didn't even notice the creepy gang bangers that were starting to follow her down the dark streets.

As Chloe rounded a corner up ahead of her, the four creepy gang bangers caught up with her.

"Hey pretty lady," one said, as the four surrounded her. "What's in your purse?"

A second gang banger grabbed for her bag.

"Beat it, sleaze balls!" Chloe shouted, kicking one gang banger in the shins, elbowing another in the face, while spraying the remaining two with a canister of mace which she kept in her pocket at all times. "What are you guys?"

Recovering from Chloe's surprise acts of self defense, the four gang bangers, furious now, gathered themselves and moved towards her menacingly. The creepy gang banger who had spoken first, reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife, snapping it open with a sickening SNICK!

"That's it, pretty lady," he grumbled, raising the sharp blade toward Chloe's face. "Playtime is over!"

"Actually," said a voice from the darkness above. "Your guy's fun has just started!"

Something dark and black dropped between Chloe and the gang bangers. Landing on the one that had the knife, flattening him.

It was Batman!

Quickly, he pulled out his grappling gun, aimed, and shot.

The grappling hook soared through the air, hooking into a wall behind the gang bangers. With a powerful tug from the side, the line from the grappling hook pulled taut, lifting the gang bangers off their feet, sending them rising into the near afternoon sky.

Chloe stared up after them, stunned completely. Then one by one, the gang bangers came sailing down. Stepping out of the way, Chloe saw two of the gang bangers smash through near by windows. Another slammed into a brick wall, and the fourth crash landed in a trash dumpster. All lay sprawled, unconscious.

Batman grabbed Chloe. He took something from under his cape, pointed it upward, and then they were shooting past the brick wall buildings, over a parapet and onto a roof.

Chloe shrugged off her jacket and wrapped it around her waist. She went to where Batman was standing, took hold of his hand, and gazed over the city.

Batman turned to Chloe. He spoke in a normal voice, a pleasant baritone. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Cutting it a little close there, don't you think, Bruce?" Chloe crossed her arms, still not letting go of his hand as she did.

Chloe had known that Bruce Wayne was Batman for only a few weeks now. He had told her when he had proposed over dinner at his mansion. Only then had he confessed everything about himself when he realized that he wanted to make her his wife. Chloe had carefully listened taking everything in. Being a reporter, she had learned to accept things in life. Including why people kept dark secrets.

She had been after Lois to figure out Clark Kent's. She had figured there must be a connection between him and Superman, Metropolis's new arrival. Otherwise how would Clark know so much about the Man of Steel? It hadn't taken her too long to make all the connections with Bruce, after he told her his dark secret. That being, and she wanted her cousin Lois to be happy.

Only now it was too late. Lois was dead. Except for Clark's irritating note that was stating she wasn't. How could he possibly know?

"Sorry, Chloe. Are you sure you're alright? You seem distracted." Batman's face was now only inches from hers. Searching her features.

"Of course. Don't worry," Chloe lied. She then reached up for his mask and pulled it up over his chin. Batman didn't move to stop her. He knew she wouldn't pull it up that far. She wouldn't betray him.

Chloe stopped pulling up once Batman's mouth was exposed. She kissed him hard and fast on the lips, then pulled his mask back down and backed away slowly. "Don't be late for our business dinner with your company men and Lex Luthor."

"I won't." Batman promised and vanished.

At Wayne Enterprises the staff was bustling. A mid-thirties, bald man, in a tailored suit holding a sheaf of papers greeted Bruce Wayne as he entered the place. Wayne Enterprises…a business built by his long family line.

"Good morning," Lex Luthor said extending a hand.

"Uh, actually, good afternoon," Bruce said through a wide smile though he was confused. "What are you doing here so early? Our business dinner isn't until tonight."

This was weird. Most corporate businessmen met when scheduled. Not before!

"Just wanted to show you a few ideas I had for when our companies are finally combined," Lex smiled brilliantly.

Bruce was curious about what Lex had in mind considering the combining of the companies was only supposed to be so they could pool their resources into creating more benefits and charities, and expand those ideas to other countries. Bruce knew right from wrong when it came to the corporate world.

"We'll talk about it later tonight," Bruce promised and walked towards his personal secretary, Jessica's desk to see about his phone calls.

Lex, miffed, nodded, and strode out the double doors. How dare he say no to Lex Luthor! How dare he mess with his plans for world domination! Well, soon Bruce would know of his wrath and be burned.

At seven o'clock sharp, Bruce Wayne guided his Lamborghini into the circle driveway of the Hilton Hotel-Restaurant. A red uniformed attendant at the valet station opened the driver's door and Bruce emerged. He smiled at the attendant.

"Nice car, Mr. Wayne," the attendant smiled his approval.

"You ought to see my other one."

Another red uniformed attendant opened the passenger door and Chloe Sullivan stepped out. Standing petite, she wore spiked heels and a very short navy blue dress. She took Bruce's right arm, entered the building through a revolving door, and rode up a modern glass elevator. They arrived on the tenth floor and stepped into a glittering place. The glittering place was decorated to the nines with white linen, crystal, silver tableware, and aroma of rich creamy sauces. Floor to ceiling windows gave the diners a view of downtown Gotham City.

Lex Luthor, four other men, and three women were already enjoying appetizers.

Bruce smiled hello as he and Chloe sat by them.

There was an animated conversation already going on at the table about the companies combining, but Chloe paid little to no attention to it. Her mind was too wrapped up, focusing on remembering the note Clark Kent had written with the flowers he had sent earlier. Lois was alive. Lois was alive. How the heck had Lois survived that horrific car accident? How did Clark know of this? Why wasn't Lois's other family members notified yet? Why was he keeping this miraculous event from the media? Clark had never lied to her before, at least not that she could recollect. But then again, she had learned that grief can drive people to madness. For example, when Bruce Wayne's parents had been murdered, Bruce's grief almost destroyed him when he was a young child. He had been so angry! Thank God, Bruce had learned to control his grief and anger now and had transformed it into something more substantial. Becoming a hero! In time though, Chloe was broken away from her thoughts.

"Who is this Batman?" Lex Luthor suddenly asked as he overheard some diners talking about the vigilante.

"He's a little unorthodox," Chloe immediately spoke up. "But he's kind of like your Superman back in Metropolis. He gets things done."

Lex's face suddenly turned bland. There was another super hero flying around in tights that he may have to contend with! He wasn't prepared for this. However, this Chloe person seemed to know a lot about this caped crusader. Much like how Lois seemed to know a lot about Superman. Maybe it was because both women were reporters and were very good about getting personal exclusives with them. Or maybe Chloe was his girl just like Lois was Superman's. This meant good news in a way for Lex. This meant that Chloe was possibly the key to dealing with Batman and be his undoing.

Immediately, he turned towards Chloe with interest. "Tell me more about this vigilante of yours?"

After a sleuth of questions from Lex, Chloe began to feel like this conversation was of an interrogation to try and find out what Batman's weaknesses were or whom he may be close to. She hadn't spilled any of those important details course! As she talked more with Lex, she began to wonder why a corporate business man would be so intrigued with information about a super hero.

Bruce noticing the awkward and wary vibes developing in his fiancés conversation with his soon to be business partner, quickly intervened. "A guy who dresses up like a bat clearly has issues. He's not much of a hero if he has to hide behind a mask. He should be stepping out into the light like that Superman character of yours. Clearly, this Bat guy has issues."

Lex turned indifferently towards Bruce. "Sometimes it's the issues that make the person what or who they are."

Not feeling slightly even intimidated, Bruce looked at him evenly and stated, "Noted."

The rest of the night went on about the combining of the companies. What needed to be done. Paperwork. Yada, yada yada. But Lex Luthor still appeared troubled by this Batman revelation.

On the way to Chloe's apartment, after the dinner, Bruce asked, as he draped his arm around her while driving one-handedly. "So what do you think of my new business partner, Lex Luthor?"

Chloe furrowed her blonde brow and frowned. "I don't know. He looks nice, but I just get this creepy vibe off of him. Especially, with the way he talks business."

Bruce nodded. "Me too." He admitted. "Especially, when he showed up out of the blue this afternoon at Wayne Enterprises today."

"I wish I could talk to Lois about him…."Chloe's voice drifted and then faded. Panged by sadness.

Bruce wanted to lean over and envelope her in his arms. Allow her to shed her tears, he knew she was hiding. Desperately, he wanted to comfort her. But at the moment he was driving.

"I forgot to ask," Bruce then spoke up lamely. "How was your cousin's funeral?"

"Okay," Chloe answered and sniffed. Her voice indicated there was something more to it.

Bruce didn't want to push her, but she was seeming so distracted lately. "How was your first day back to work since?"

A long pause of silence and then Chloe finally spoke. "That's the weird part. I received a note on my desk from my high school friend of long ago. He's an investigative reporter now for the Daily Planet in Metropolis. He seems to think that Lois is still alive."

Bruce inhaled sharply wondering who would want to play a hoax like this on his fiancé. "Who exactly told you this?"

"Clark Kent."

The name didn't exactly ring any bells for Bruce, except he knew he was a name he'd seen on their wedding guest list.

He'd talk to Alfred, his butler, later when he'd get back to the mansion. Help him research this jerk.

Once dropped off at her apartment, Chloe locked all the locks like an expert city dweller. Her place was well furnished, thanks impart to Bruce and her previous ex-boyfriend, whom she once in a while kept in touch with, Oliver Queen, owner of Queen Industries. Her apartment even had a gas fireplace! This she was planning on turning on, and sit there on her tan couch watching the flames dance while pondering today's events. However, a loud knock soon resounded on her door.

Curious, Chloe stood on her tiptoes and peeked out her peep hole on her door to look at her disrupter. Waves of shock cascaded through her body when she discovered it was none other than the person she had been talking about before on the way home with Bruce.

"Clark?" she gasped, as if he was a dream.

Chloe opened her door after unlocking it and quickly ushered him inside. As Chloe turned and relocked her door, Clark spoke.

"I know you find it hard to believe what I wrote on that note this morning, Chloe. But trust me. Lois is alive. She's not dead."

"And where's your proof?" Chloe gave an exasperated sigh as she ushered him more into her foyer. "Did you borrow your friend Superman's x-ray vision and find out she's not buried there?"

Clark shifted his gaze uncomfortably to her coffee table which prostrated itself in the middle of her living room. "That's one way to describe how I found out."

Chloe exhaled, exhausted from the day's events and grief, but refused to give in to her body's state. "What exactly do you expect to find here in Gotham? Shouldn't you be looking back home in Metropolis where she was killed?"

"Lois was working last on a story about Lex Luthor teaming up with your boyfriend. Suddenly there was this car accident. Lex was the last person to see Lois alive. And now Lex is here."

Chloe's eyes widen as she realizes what Clark's getting at. "You think Lex has something to do with Lois's mystery death or disappearance?"

Clark nodded.

Chloe grimaced. "I did find Lex Luthor sort of creepy at our business dinner that I went to earlier this evening." She didn't bother to mention Lex's sudden fixation with Batman. Creepy was enough to define Lex, at least at the moment.

"I was wondering also how much your boyfriend knows about his new business partner?" Clark pressed.

Chloe was appalled. "Are you suspecting Bruce?!"

"No," Clark lied, unsure really of his true motives. "Just curious."

Chloe quickly defended her man. "Bruce only knows about half as much as I do. In which case isn't much." Chloe then paused. "There must be a reason why Lex would want Superman to think Lois is dead."

It dawned on Clark then what Lex was after. Now to get Chloe in on the band wagon. "He needs Superman distracted."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Obvious! But for what?"

Clark sighed heavily, "What does Bruce have that Lex would possibly want?"

"Can't be money, Lex has plenty of that," Chloe mumbled. "But Bruce has access to other companies and connections to other resources all over the world!"

"Right," Clark prompted.

"Lex must want control of Bruce's company!" Chloe exclaimed. That manipulative, lying scumbag!

"And eventually the entire world, I'm betting on." Clark muttered. Once he'd get his hands on Lex, he'd bring so many charges down on him that it would make his head spin. And he'd strangle him until he'd spill where Lois was. How dare he kidnap her and make everyone she cared for think she was dead! That cold hearted bastard!

"I have to warn Bruce," Chloe started digging through her purse for her cell phone.

Clark quickly reached out and grabbed her wrist haltingly. "Wait! We need more evidence to prove that's what Lex is really up to."

"But what about Bruce?" Chloe protested.

"He's a big boy, Chloe. I'm sure he can take care of himself," Clark assured her. And even if he can't, I'm Superman ~ he thought.

One thing Clark was right about and didn't even realize it much, was that Bruce was definitely capable of taking care of himself. In fact, Bruce Wayne dressed in his Batman gear stood quietly on Chloe's window ledge outside, carefully observing the scene. With the windows closed on Chloe's apartment, he couldn't quite hear what they were saying. Which vexed him since Clark seemed to be causing his Chloe much distraught. Being Batman though, he had ways of finding out.

Bruce followed Clark to the Best Western Hotel Clark was staying at. There he climbed a windowless wall, using the spikes on his outfit to pull himself up, topped the roof, and ran silently until he reached the balcony that was by Clark's room's window. Then Bruce waited.

Clark slammed the door of his hotel room behind him and slumped into a sofa chair, his back to his single window leading to the balcony on his room. He removed his glasses, wiped them on his gray t-shirt, switched on the table bedside lamp, and pulled a stack of papers from Lois's case file.

His super hearing detected someone behind him and he turned around. "Who are you?" Clark asked, his voice level, conversational.

"Batman."

Clark narrowed his eyes puzzled. "What do you want?"

"I think you should stay away from Ms. Chloe Sullivan. You're causing her more harm than good lying to her about her cousin Lois being still alive."

"It's not a lie," Clark told him firmly. "Superman told me all about it."

"Superman?" Batman was confused. Was Clark perhaps telling the truth?

How should I admit? Clark wondered. Should I admit everything? He seems to be in the same league as me.

Batman then noticed the file Clark was holding. "What's that?"

"The case Lois was working on before the world presumed her dead. It involves Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne combining their companies. Supposedly to pool their resources together to create bigger benefits and charities. But I think differently."

If Clark thought differently, did Chloe too? Is that why he had contacted her? To use her investigative reporting instincts to help him? Not just because she's Lois Lane's cousin and his childhood friend? Was this what they were talking about back at Chloe's apartment?

"I'll check it out," Batman promised. And then he vanished out onto the balcony with lightning speed. Clark stepped out onto the balcony as Batman jumped down to his Batmobile car. He watched in awe as he sped off into the shadows.

What a nut, Clark thought.

Back at Bruce Wayne's mansion, Bruce was back in his jeans and sweater. A fire was burning in the fire place. A cup of coffee sat on the coffee table. Coffee always seemed to help Bruce think.

"What's troubling you, Master Wayne?" Alfred, his trustworthy butler asked.

"I may be the reason Chloe's cousin is missing," Bruce was pacing the living room.

"That's a historic first for you. Pardon me confirming though, I thought her cousin was dead, sir?" Alfred was holding a poker, stoking the fire in the fireplace. At once an even more exquisite warmth enveloped the vast room.

"So did I," Bruce admitted. Which meant in this business dealing with Lex Luthor, nothing was what it seemed. He had questioned his partner Lex when he had first called to make sure he was in this collaboration of their companies for all the right reasons. Lex had promptly answered that he was. Apparently, it was all a lie. Tomorrow night at the signing of the papers of the co-sharing of their companies, he would question Lex again. First things first though, he wanted to research some one. He wanted to make sure he could trust some one new that he had just met. Someone who could maybe help him completely take Lex down if needs be.

"Alfred, bring me a copy of Chloe's Smallville High yearbook. I need to research one of her former classmates."

"Of course," Alfred shrugged and immediately headed to their ravishing library.

Moments later, Bruce was paging through the thick red and yellow yearbook on his lap in the chair near his coffee mug. "Let's see if you're who you're telling me you really are, Clark Kent."

If Clark said that they needed more proof to condemn Lex Luthor, then she was going to find him plenty of evidence. Only her fiancé Bruce was not going to be happy with how she was going about getting this information. Bruce was always telling her to be careful. To stay safe.

Chloe knew Bruce meant well, but with being an investigative reporter she knew that her line of work sometimes could be dangerous. No matter how careful she tried to be. One sometimes has to face danger in order to unlock the truth and expose it to the world. She thought Bruce would understand this best because he's Batman. However, Chloe suspected that now because she was Bruce's fiancée that he was going to be even more over protective of her. That he would want her to steer clear of danger at whatever means possible. He should've known better with having dated her, that steering clear was not in her vocabulary or nature. For with being an investigative reporter, finding proof and asking the big questions was in her blood.

At this moment, Chloe was sprawled flat on her stomach on top of the glass skylight on the roof that hung over Bruce's conference room at Wayne Enterprises. A tape recorder held firmly in her right hand.

Down below, Bruce and Lex were about to sign the papers that would legally combine their companies together. And would therefore create Wayne-Luthor Enterprises Corp.

"Good evening, Mr. Luthor." Bruce greeted. "If you don't mind, I have a few questions to ask you as a business partner before we sign."

Lex seemed to start to look flabbergasted after Bruce said this. Finally though, after composing his emotions, Lex agreed.

Bruce reassured him, "It's just a standard procedure I do before I sign anything to make sure we're all on the same page."

Clark Kent had checked out okay on Bruce's radar after he did some research. Now he had to check out Lex Luthor.

"Of course," Lex smiled blandly-forcefully through gritted teeth. "Can't be too off guard in today's society."

Somehow Bruce Wayne knew something, Lex was almost sure of it. He had a big hunch. But who was the leak? Clark Kent and Superman were busy trying to recover Lois. And Lois Lane, as far as he was concerned, was still incapacitated.

And then realization dawned on him like a heavy, powerful ocean wave.

Bruce Wayne's girlfriend Chloe Sullivan! Wasn't she Lois Lane's close cousin? Of course! He vaguely remembered reading about her in the newspaper when he saw the Engagement Announcement in the Society section on her and Bruce. Therefore, it had to be that woman! She was the one who knew things about Batman. She was the one who had accompanied Bruce to that business meeting dinner. And if he recalled so, she was also a journalist for the Gotham Sun Times. That sneaky bitch!

"What would you like to confirm first?" Lex asked.

"Have you ever co-shared with any other companies?"

"Yes," Lex answered carefully. "Unfortunately, the head leader of those companies either retired early or died mysteriously so I had to take over them. It's not something one prepares for so early. But I can assure you that those companies money was taken care of properly."

How to kill those leaders if they refused the offer of retirement, make it look like an accident, and where to hide the body was often hard to plan for on the spot. And make sure that that body stayed resting there so the police wouldn't find it! Very complicated procedure to accomplish especially when one seems to always be in the spotlight in Metropolis. Now that Metropolis was conquered though, Lex wanted more. He always seemed to desire more. And he wanted to give Gotham City a shot and then the world!

"No, I don't believe that it would be. Easy to prepare for something like that," Bruce murmured. Deep down, he was beginning to wonder how some of those leaders mysteriously died. A nagging intuition indicated to him, that he would have to keep a real close eye on his company.

A pregnant pause began to concern Lex, but then Bruce spoke again.

"Are you really in this so that we can create more charities and benefits for people like I am?"

"A charity and larger benefits can not survive without a huge slump of money." Lex simply stated.

"Are you going to imply anything else? You didn't exactly answer me straight."

"What answer are you searching for?" Lex asked.

"Answer the question, what are your true implications for this co-sharing? Are you really in it to help me create more charities and benefits for people?" Bruce demanded.

A loud incessant beep sounded from Lex Luthor's right breast pocket on his black overcoat. He glanced at the incoming call. It was one of his spies that he used for security purposes that he brought inconspicuously with him to Gotham.

"Excuse me, Mr. Wayne," Lex said standing up from his chair. "I have to take this."

And he left the room.

"Damn it!" Chloe muttered when she saw Lex Luthor leave the room. After jamming her thumb on the stop button on her tape recorder, she slid it back into her jean coat pocket.

Now what? She had very little of a confession from Lex Luthor. And just when it seemed like a confession was even about to come pouring out of his mouth, his stupid cell phone had to ring. She had to figure out something. She had to find out where Lex had disappeared to with his phone so that she could discover whom he was talking to, and if it had anything to involve Bruce. But because he disappeared from the room that had the skylight, she was going to have to find a different procedure to retrieve the evidence she needed.

Determined and frustrated, Chloe crawled to her knees and then got up on her feet. She turned around to walk over to the emergency escape ladder on the roof to get down, and found herself facing the wrong end of a pistol.

And the man holding the gun stepped forward from the shadows. A cell phone was propped between his shoulder and his ear. "I've found the leak, Boss. Just thought I'd let you know I'm on it." His smile was menacing and evil.

Down below in the hallway just on the other side of the conference room, Lex's smile was even more wicked. "Excellent." Then he snapped his cell phone shut.

Inside the conference room, Bruce Wayne had his left ear pinned to the door's slight crack so he could hear Lex's conversation. He backed away quickly as soon as he heard the conversation end, and sat back down in his chair.

"Emergency? Family? Or the office back home?" Bruce asked the minute Lex walked through the door.

"Yes, of course. An emergency in the office back home. A simple security breech. Don't worry, everything's fine now. My head guard was just calling to inform me of it and that they had it handled."

"A security breech?" Bruce looked slightly alarmed. Who would? Then it dawned on him….it was either Chloe or Clark. Probably searching for evidence on Lex. He could've sworn he had explicably warned Chloe not to. That he would handle the investigation. And Clark? What had he told Clark the night before as Batman? Oh, Lord.

When Bruce averted his blue eyes back to Lex, he could tell that Lex may have known what he knew.

Back up on the roof, Chloe stood brazenly before Lex's goon. The two held a fearsome gaze as the goon fumbled to put his cell phone away. Stupid man, Chloe thought.

As he fumbled, Chloe seized the opportunity and drove a hard kick to his midsection. Then using both of her fists, she slammed them down on his head. Immediately, she bolted for the roof's entrance door that she had used to get to the roof earlier before Bruce and Lex had arrived.

Unfortunately, Lex's goon rapidly recovered and took a shot at Chloe with his pistol. The bullet whizzed past her and grazed her right arm. Chloe nearly keeled over in pain. Blood drained from the open wound.

Suddenly, she heard a loud groan followed by a thud behind her. The pistol fell and slid forward on the roof. Bending over quickly, Chloe picked it up and whirled around. She didn't even hesitate to cock it. There was no way she was going to die tonight!

"If you step any closer, I'll shoot. I swear!" Chloe shouted.

"Chloe, it's alright. You're safe." A soft deep voice boomed from the shadows. Billowing in the wind, Chloe barely noticed as shock and exhaustion clamored to have her, was a red cape. Then the figure in the shadows stepped forward.

"It's you?!" Chloe gasps, once she recognizes his face from the iconic images that plaster the Daily Planet newspaper, and passes out.

Superman catches her with one arm around her back, his other hand cradling her head, terribly worried. The pistol clatters to the roof, shooting off a bullet that smashes into the roof's access door creating a rugged hole. Noticing Chloe's bleeding arm, Superman scoops her into his arms and flies to the hotel he's staying in as Clark Kent. He'd deal with Luthor just as soon as Chloe was okay.

Bruce tried to feign innocence in his questioning of Lex, that he had no suspicions of his true plans. His blue eyes he tried make round and wide.

"Et tu, Mr. Wayne? You just couldn't trust me with being honest in this signing could you?" Lex's brown eyes were calculating.

Bruce's mouth slackened. "Of course I trust you. I'm just concerned, that's all."

Unfortunately, Lex could see right through Bruce's poker face.

"No, you don't," Lex seethed. "Otherwise you wouldn't have sent your reporter fiancée to scoop me out."

Chloe, Bruce immediately knew then that she had disobeyed his warnings. She was the emergency he had overheard Lex talking about on his cell.

"What have you done to Chloe Sullivan?" Bruce stood from his chair and demanded at once.

"She won't be your fiancée for much longer, let's just put it that way. Unless you and I can come to some sort of arrangement….." Lex allowed his voice to trail. He was always good at striking deals by use of blackmail and then later breaking them.

"Unless I what?" Bruce asked. He would do anything for Chloe. He loved her with more being in his heart than ever. As wanting her for his wife, he did not want to subject her to anymore harm than what was already conducted on her.

"Unless you sign these papers that will combine our companies. Sign and she lives. Don't and I'll call my guard this very second and have her permanently terminated."

Forgive me God, Bruce prayed as he reached for the pen and signed his name to the papers. And what he felt like possibly his life away. Especially, after he began to think about those other leaders of those other companies, Lex had admitted to collaborating with, that either retired or mysteriously died. After he was done, he handed the papers carefully over to Lex. "You're going to let Chloe go, right?"

"Of course, Mr. Wayne. I'm a man of my word," Lex promised.

Bruce let out a little sigh of relief, but still felt uneasy. He would need proof in this. He wanted to see her to make sure himself that she was alright. But then he remembered that Chloe was a very capable person. But even so….

"So, what's next?" Bruce asked. "Now that you've blackmailed me into joining our companies. Have me mysteriously die and disappear like your other cohorts, or will you have me forced into very early retirement?"

"That I have well arranged." With a snap of his fingers, two thugs dropped in behind Bruce from up above on the skylight. Each holding a knife.

"If someone doesn't agree with my methods and stands in my way, I simply have them dealt with. Consider yourself dealt." Lex smiled triumphantly, then headed towards main doors on the conference room leaving Bruce to his doom.

Once in the hallway, Lex picked up his cell phone from his pocket and texted his security spy. The message only two words and very distinct, finish her!

Lex then proceeded down the hallway and into the elevator and pressed the button for ground floor. He was headed to the bank to collect Bruce's money and then jump on fastest plane to New York. It would be time to deal with Bill Gates next. Then he would conquer others later in China, Japan, England, Russia, and Afghan. He would have it all! Lex grinned feeling giddy all over. It was fun being in charge.

"Chloe? Chloe are you okay? Can you hear me?"

That deep, soft male voice, Chloe thought dimly as she broke out of her reverie. I've heard that voice before, she recalled as she stirred. Clark Kent?

Chloe opened her green eyes and immediately tried to sit up. However, her arm ached badly where she had been grazed by the bullet and so she winced.

Superman pushed her back down on the bed. "Rest. You're hurt."

On the bedside dresser in Clark's hotel room was a bowel with what looked like bloodied water now in it, some gauze, and a bottle of antiseptic. She couldn't believe she was in a hotel room with Superman! Let alone that he had taken care of her. Nursed her. What would Lois Lane think if she was alive? Was this had been what it felt like to be taken care of by him so many times before while uncovering stories with her partner in tow, Clark Kent?

Chloe offered Superman her arm back to tend to albeit, and squinted at him a bit confused. The pillow was comfortable and she was exhausted from dealing with Lex's goon, but she needed to force herself to stay awake. Bruce Wayne, her fiancé, was in trouble!

Superman was glad Chloe had come around to, because he had no idea what other injuries may have occurred before he had shown up. But Chloe did not seem to need immediate critical care, when he had x-rayed her earlier with his vision. That's why he had not flown her to the hospital and had taken her to his hotel room instead. Chloe right now had to understand the she needed rest since she had gone through an ordeal already, he had to see that she understood that.

Superman gently wrapped more pieces of gauze around Chloe's arm. His hands a little rough but gentle. Round and around he encircled her bicep with the gauze strips. His eyes were downcast on her arm; concentrating on her wound. He could feel her inquisitive, penetrating gaze though.

"What?" he asked as he looked up from his wrapping into her exquisite eyes.

"What are you doing here in Gotham? Shouldn't you be searching for Lois Lane in Metropolis?"

Superman swallowed hard. "I am searching for her. Her trail led me here to Lex Luthor. Clark Kent, a close confident of mine, filled me in on what's going on. He's out currently looking for evidence, much like how you were before things got slice and dicey."

"I think I may have found something that may motivate you to leave here with taking care of me, and go after Luthor."

"What do you know?" Superman asked.

"Lex is after Bruce's company, and not in the good way either. I tape recorded Lex saying how he became the sole leaders of the companies he previously co-shared with. The former company leaders either retired early or mysteriously died and disappeared. Their bodies never found."

"Where's Mr. Wayne now?" Superman asked, fear rising inside of him.

"At Wayne Enterprises with Lex Luthor signing the papers. He's in danger."

"I'll go after him," Superman vowed as he tied her gauze tight with a flourish finish.

Chloe frowned. "I'll go with you. I can help…." She sat up, swung her legs around, and stood up.

Chloe's knees buckled as she suddenly felt light headed from the loss of blood to her arm and the previous excitement. Superman catches her and places her back on the bed.

"Relax," he said. "You've done enough for one night."

"But…."Chloe begins to protest, she quiets down however as Superman glides an index finger over her lips. Superman then gives her a soft but firm look with his eyes as he stands upright, strides over to the open window that leads out to the balcony on Clark's hotel room, and then glances back at her. Wind pours into the room.

Chloe stands up, and gathers the blanket from the bed around her, instantly cold, and gazes after him.

"Goodbye, Chloe," Superman tell hers. Leaning backward into the wind out the window, with a sudden WHOOSH! Superman was gone.

Back at Wayne Enterprises, Bruce was caught by surprise as Lex's thugs descended upon him from the sides. He spun and grabbed the first thug's throat before the thug could even wield his knife.

Bruce struck the thug then on the base of the skull and as the man crumpled Bruce pivoted towards the second thug. The second thug thrust with his blade. Bruce took the point near his abdomen, felt it slice into his tissue and hit bone. He remembered something his Master Martial Arts instructor told him when he was younger. When you fight with blades, you will be cut, and it will hurt. It did hurt, a lot! But nothing vital was damaged. Bruce twisted his arm to the right and slapped the blade with his palm, and the knife flew from the thug's hand.

"I've learned well over the years," Bruce commented as he slammed his fist on the thug's skull base too. Causing the thug to fitfully crumple to the ground.

Chloe, his mind then raced and he bolted for the stairs that lead to the roof's access.

In seconds, Bruce was standing on his roof of Wayne Enterprises, desperately searching for Chloe, whom he assumed had been up here by the skylight investigating. To his horror, Chloe was nowhere to be seen on the roof. Bruce feared the worst.

"Chloe's fine. Her arm was grazed by a bullet from one of Lex's thugs. But she's fine. She's at Clark Kent's hotel room resting," a voice said from overhead.

Bruce startled, looked up. Superman was hovering in the air, almost directly above him.

"Sorry," he apologized as he landed. "I didn't mean to…."

Bruce straightened. "I'm fine. I just wasn't expecting…..you."

"Where's Lex Luthor?" Superman asked.

"By now he's probably heading to the head bank in Gotham City that's open 24 hours cleaning out all my accounts cause he thinks I'm mysteriously dead. And then my next guess is he'll be running off to conquer the next company." Bruce really didn't put much past Lex Luthor anymore.

"I'll go and try to stop him. Go and contact your Batman, that Chloe told me you're friends with, in case Lex needs to be headed off. He can stop me with kryptonite, if he remembered to bring it. And if he does….Batman's our last hope."

"Will do," Bruce assured him.

With another big WHOOSH! Superman was gone again.

Bruce gazed after him a bit stunned, and then headed back down the roof's access stairs. He strode into his office and to his customized computer he had on his desk. He hit four keys and a large ornate painting on the left wall swung forward to reveal a doorway behind it. This entry to the basement of Wayne Enterprises had been Alfred's idea and a good one. Especially, when he didn't have time to return to the mansion and head to the batcave. He called Wayne Enterprise's basement his home away from home batcave. Bruce passed through it and went down a concrete spiral staircase. He stepped onto the cold floor and went to a wardrobe. One of the many Batman costumes was inside. A black ghost that seemed to be staring at him. He immediately dressed and jumped into one of his smaller designed batmobiles. This was going to be one battle he wasn't going to let Superman fight alone.

The engine to the batmobile roared to life. It exploded out of the basement entryway from the ground and raced towards the head bank in Gotham City.

No one tried to kill his fiancé, kill him, steal his company, and get away with it. No one. Not unless they wanted to mess with Batman!

One of the front doors to the head bank in Gotham opened. Out stepped Lex Luthor with a brown sack full of money. A bright white grin plastered across his face. As he headed towards his limo, the Batmobile came to a screeching halt a mere few inches between Lex and his Limo door.

"What the Hell?!" Lex exclaimed; shocked as he watched the Batmobile's hatch hiss and slide forward. He pulled out his pistol from his inner left coat pocket and started firing.

Batman heard the bullets dinging his vehicle, and hunkered down low in his seat for cover. Bullets caromed off Batman's Batmobile and arced back into the atmosphere like fly balls from Hell.

Batman reached into his utility belt. There he found the tear gas bomb he knew would be there. Or at least hoped would. Pulling the pin, Batman kept his thumb on the trigger until he launched it. The gas bomb flew through the air, pouring out gas it did so. It landed directly at the feet of Lex.

Blinded by the smoke, Lex tried to stumble away from it. He knew it was a decoy distraction to try and get him caught. And Lex Luthor had no intentions of going to prison and losing five to ten years of his life. If not longer.

Lex abandoned the bag of money, figuring he could come back for it later, and tried to escape from this Batman creature. He didn't get very far though. In fact, Lex was confronted by the imposing figure in blue, yellow, and red.

"Nice to see you again, Lex Luthor. Thought you could distract me from finding out your plans?" Superman said with a firm look.

Lex desperately raised his pistol and fired at him point blank. Thinking that even though he didn't have kryptonite, maybe at close range it would hurt him enough to let him escape. Superman glanced down at the spot where the bullet had ricocheted off his chest, and into the sidewalk. Superman looked up with a pleasant smile on his face as though inviting Lex to give it another try. Lex shot twice to know avail and merely watched in fascination as the bullets bounced off that blue clad chest and into the sidewalk again.

Deciding that something could be damaged or someone could get hurt by one of those deflecting bullets, Superman reached out and grabbed the pistol, taking it away from Lex Luthor. With a cocky expression, he mangled it into a twisted wreck in his hands. Then threw it to the pavement. Superman grasped Lex firmly by the shoulders and lifted him up a few inches off the ground. "Where's Lois Lane? What have you done to her? I know she's alive!" he demanded.

Lex Luthor had a sickly grin spread across his face. "You're an idiot," he spat.

Batman came up behind Superman and Lex after the tear gas cleared. He could see Superman's tight grip on Lex. Superman wasn't going to let go until he got a full truthful answer.

Lex looked behind Superman and his eyes drank in Batman. He then glanced back and forth from one super hero to the other and asked, "So, you both are to be my judge and executioner?"

Superman's grip tightened. Not the response he was looking for.

"We're not above the law," Batman told him. "But if you don't tell us real quickly where Lois Lane is then we just might become that."

Lex feeling slightly intimidated by this Batman guy, turned to look at Superman and simply sneered. "You fool. She was under your nose the entire time, and by now hopefully it's too late!"

Realization crossed over Superman's features as he realized that Lois had gone to Lex Luthor's mansion to interview him. And Lex Luthor's mansion had lead lined holding cells in the basement, if he remembered so correctly from numerous other times of rescuing Lois. Of course! That's where she had to be!

Superman flung Lex into Batman's clutches and with a loud WHOOSH! He took to the skies.

The following morning the newspaper headlines in Gotham City screamed about Lex Luthor and his betrayal to Bruce Wayne. It spoke of his conviction of kidnapping Lois Lane, making the world presume her dead. And of trying to kill Chloe, ace reporter of the Gotham Sun Times. The headlines on several different newspapers heralded the astonishing news in different ways.

"Luthor Tries to Steal from Billionaire Bruce Wayne!" exclaimed the Gotham City Post.

"Lois Lane, Reporter of Daily Planet, Brutally Taken Hostage by Billionaire Lex Luthor," Captioned the Gotham City Voice. "Lex Luthor behind bars!"

The Gotham Sun Times even heralded a thanks to that tape recording taken by wounded Chloe Sullivan. "House of Luthor Falls Down."

Chloe Sullivan picked up her copy of the Gotham Sun Times up off her porch to her apartment building. Smiling down at her own by-line under the headline story, she walked up the steps feeling satisfied that justice had actually brought its close.

Each of the four locks turned at one time and Chloe entered her apartment. She juggled the newspaper and her keys like an expert city dweller. She stole a peek at the foyer clock. It was just 8:15am. She sighed, happy that Mr. Stratford her boss had allowed her to take some days off after revealing what her big expose had been about. Bringing down Lex Luthor and getting the chance to work with the infamous Superman!

She needed time to herself. She needed some major retrospective. A whole lot had happened over the past few days. First, Lois was dead and she was in mourning. All of sudden then Clark Kent comes into town and shakes things up by telling her that he thinks that Lois Lane, his partner is alive. And he thinks that it had to do with the story that she was working on about Lex Luthor and her fiancée Bruce Wayne. Chloe had been so confused over those past days. She didn't even really have time to mourn over the loss of her cousin properly, as she couldn't believe that she was really alive. Now here she had been forced to believe Clark. Then while investigating, she had almost gotten killed by one of Lex Luthor's hired thugs. And Lex had almost stolen control of Bruce Wayne's company Wayne Enterprises! Then BOOM! BLAM! Superman shows up and suddenly there's a big showdown between him, Batman, and Lex! Just as suddenly as the showdown started, it just as suddenly ended. Or had it really?

True, Lex Luthor was behind bars. And Batman had told her in an exclusive direct quote that with a WHOOSH! Realization had dawned on Superman where Lois Lane was and he was gone in seconds to retrieve her. Clark Kent too it seemed to be gone shortly after, as he never returned to his hotel room or Chloe's apartment, but merely left a note yet again with flowers on her desk at work saying thank you for your help, it was nice seeing you again, and goodbye. She wondered if Clark Kent and Superman had found her beloved cousin alive. If they had gotten to her in time? And if they had, why hadn't Lois called her?

It was a lot to swallow for Chloe Sullivan. She would definitely need some time to heal and deal.

A soft knock resounded on her door. Too exhausted to bother peering through the peephole because she was beyond caring, she unlocked her door.

There in khaki dress slacks and a black sweater was Bruce Wayne. A lazy smile on his face.

"Uh, hi," Bruce raked a hand through his tousled brown hair. "I thought I'd stop by and see how you're feeling? Are you alright? How's your arm?"

"Peachy," Chloe whispered. She ushered him inside and relocked the door. He couldn't even tell her if he heard from Superman yet or if he found her cousin? "Right as rain whatever that means."

"Chloe…." Bruce reached a comforting hand towards her, but Chloe brushed it away. Fiancée or not he was in big trouble. Bruce looked at her hurt that she wouldn't let him touch her.

"Hey, I can lie to you if I want. You lied to me about that mask and cape of yours for how long?" Chloe jabbed. She slumped down on her couch and buried her face in her hands. Confused. Frustrated.

Bruce sat down next to her and placed a comforting arm around Chloe's form. This time she didn't buck at his touch. "I'm sorry," he said.

Chloe finally looked up from her hands at Bruce, with tear welled eyes. "Have you heard anything from Superman yet about Lois? Is she alive?"

"No, not yet." Bruce admitted. "I was hoping that your friend Clark Kent would've called."

Chloe just shook her head. "He hasn't. Last I heard from him was another note and flowers, telling me thanks for helping him and goodbye."

Bruce frowned. "What is it with this guy with leaving mysterious notes and flowers?"

Again, Chloe shrugged. "I'm guessing it's his Smallville farmer boy charm."

Bruce scoffed. "Some charm."

"Yeah," Chloe laughed, and then actually smiled.

Bruce glanced soberly at her arm then that had been grazed by the bullet. "You almost died a few days ago. I'm glad Superman was there to save you when I couldn't be. I…."

"Bruce, you know I face dangers all the time with being a reporter. It's part of my job. It's part of who I am with wanting to discover the truth and bring justice to the world."

"I know. It's just….I love you. I love you and if anything ever happened to you I'd never forgive myself." He reached down and took her hands in his own.

"Like how you never forgave yourself for your parent's deaths? And created this vigilante to put criminals in jail, like the ones that murdered your parents?"

"Yeah."

Their foreheads rested against one another's. Their noses brushing.

"Bruce, the thing about luck is I don't question it. Yes, I'm glad Superman showed up when he did. But at the same time I'm sure I could've handled it. You know me. And yes, I'm sure there'll eventually come a time where I won't be able to handle it, and you won't be there in the nick of time to save me. At least though, I'll have fulfilled my dream by then."

Bruce looked at her quizzically. "What's that?"

"Being married to you," she answered simply. "I love you too."

Lips soon found lips and they kissed, feeling everything come together in healed bliss from the last few days. As he tasted the sweetest of strawberries from her lip glossed lips, Bruce decided that he would stay with her at her apartment until they heard from Lois, Clark, or Superman. For facing things together was as it should be.

Could it really be that simple? Would Lois really be where Superman thought she was after realization had dawned on him? But would he get to her in time? Or would she be dead? Would he have to fly all the way back to Gotham City's Prison, where Batman had insisted he placed Lex Luthor, and beat the crap out of him?

Superman flew through Metropolis until reached Lex's mansion. Once there he flew into one of the open bedroom windows, and then began his search of the mansion for the lead lined rooms in the basement. Within minutes he found the holding cells, and prayed to God she was in there. Concrete and debris went flying as crashed through the immense wall of lead. Dust swirled through the air. There lying on a cot hooked up to machines unconscious was Lois Lane. Relief rushed through his veins. Quickly, he scanned Lois's body with x-ray vision searching her vitals to make sure she was alive. Barely. He listened to her breathing and her beating heart, as he removed her from the machines, planning to get her as soon he could to Met General Hospital. She'd been drugged, was dehydrated, so her vital signs were faint. If he had gotten there a day later, she would've been gone. Now she had a chance.

Superman slipped her arms around his neck and gently scooped her into his arms. Lois's head was cradled against his shoulder. She didn't once stir. It alarmed him a little but her breathing was normal for the moment. He held her lithe body against his strong supportive one. He was relieved beyond words that she wasn't dead. But he was disappointed in himself for not having found her sooner. How could he have been so dumb and blind? How could he have been so naïve? If he hadn't found her in time, he'd be alone like his long lost mother Lara Lor-Van had worried about before she and Jor-El had sent him in a spacecraft to earth when he was an infant. He couldn't bear the thought of being alone. Of being in a world without Lois Lane. To him she was his equal. His partner. Okay, and sometimes a pain in the ass. But his charming partner none the less, whom he didn't mind saving on a daily freaking basis. So long as he got to see her smile and admire her bravery, and headstrongness to go after a story.

Holding her close and keeping her warm, Superman rose into the air and flew towards Met General Hospital.

As they were in the air on the way there, Lois started to come around a bit murmuring, "Superman? Clark?" all confused. But then once again, she was passed out in his arms.

Superman had looked down at her with turbulent eyes. Vowing to let nothing bad happen to her ever again. His heart soared because she had mentioned his dual identity name Clark. Thinking that maybe he would save her besides Superman. If only she knew. And although he had promised himself he would tell her his secret if he found her alive, he knew now that he could not yet. Especially, since Lex had used her as a decoy to keep him away from putting him in jail. He could only tell her that he loved her as Clark, and not as both Clark and the Man of Steel.

He landed outside the emergency entrance to Met General Hospital without jostling his precious cargo. Four medics with a gurney rushed up to greet them.

Lois was a sickly shade of pale, which frightened Superman to say the most.

"What happened?" a medic shot at Superman, as Superman gently laid Lois down on the gurney. Cushioning her head with his hand for a little while.

"I'm not entirely sure," Superman said curtly. "I found her drugged, dehydrated, with faint vital signs, and unconscious when I came upon her at Luthor's mansion in one of his lead lined holding cells in his basement."

Superman felt suddenly sick to his soul. This was all his fault. If it hadn't been for his blossoming relationship with Lois, she wouldn't have been used as a target to keep him distracted.

"I thought she was dead?" commented a confused medic. "At least that's what I'd read in the Daily Planet a week ago."

"So did I," Superman admitted solemnly. "So did I."

He followed her gurney into one of the examination rooms. He took hold of one of Lois's small cold hands in both of his and held tight. "Lois," he said huskily, feeling the pain all the way to his red boots. "Lois, hold on!"

One medic pushed Superman aside. He held up a hand so Superman couldn't protest. "Hovering over her isn't going to help. She's been through a wreck, and I understand you feel guilty for not finding her sooner. But now that you've found her, we need to run some tests and help her recover. Why don't you find some of her family and friends to ease your mind."

Superman wasn't looking at the medic though paying any attention to him. No. He was looking past the medic's shoulder as Lois was wheeled behind a set of doors. Lois. His love. His life. His everything.

The medic saw this and got in his line of sight. "Go!" he ordered firmly. "You can see her later. She's in capable hands."

Blinking, Superman forced himself to focus on the medic. "Alright," he agreed, even though he had really no desire to leave her side. In a WHOOSH! He was gone leaving medical papers and charts swirling in the air in his wake.

As Clark Kent back at his apartment in Metropolis, he called Lois's father General Lane and her sister Lucy. But all he got was answering machines. He remembered to call Chloe Sullivan and Bruce Wayne, and was immediately yelled at after relieved sighs that he should've called sooner. Clark managed to get a hold of Perry White and let him know about the story he had been working on. Jimmy Olson used a couple of post pictures of Superman saving Lois to go with a statement that would grace the front of the Daily Planet that following morning. A few other co-workers and friends he called that he knew of she had, and they agreed to send flowers and cards to her.

Afterwards, he changed into even more comfortable clothes. A gray t-shirt and jeans, and headed back to the hospital to stay as her moral support. Her friend. Throughout the night as she had slept in the hospital room, Clark Kent sat in a chair just outside her door, making sure that nothing and nobody would harm her.

Lois awakened to warm morning rays from the sun creeping into her window. She started to sit up, worried that she was still at Lex Luthor's place, and wouldn't be able to warn Superman of his master plan. As she sat up, she was confused to find herself not in one of his holding cells. She looked around feeling a little disorientated.

She was in a hospital room, her mind began to race. How had she gotten here? Then her memory returned in a fuzzy jolt. She could vaguely remember seeing Superman last night and being scooped up in his arms. Then her world had gone black again, but she could remember Clark Kent's voice murmuring words of comfort to her as she was being laid down on something soft but firm. Had Clark been with Superman when he'd rescued her? When had they found her? Had they managed to thwart Lex? How long had she been out of it? She needed to find out so that she could get out of there and write her story!

However, a flash of newsprint caught her eye. She spotted a copy of the Daily Planet lying on her bedside table. As if someone knew, she'd want to see that first thing when she awoke. Wincing she reached over to grab it, forgetting that her arms were hooked up to IV machines. Ignoring the pain shooting up her arm, she picked up the newspaper and scanned the front page.

SUPER SAVE! An old photo of Superman with her in his arms from 2 months ago took up the whole front page. Then she caught the byline. Clark Kent with assistance from Gotham Sun Times reporter Chloe Sullivan. Clark Kent had worked with her cousin Chloe? She hadn't spoken to her cousin Chloe since Easter! How had Chloe gotten involved?

Lois leaned back against her pillow completely stunned. She sat back up quickly though after she realized it was uncomfortable without another pillow for support.

As Lois scanned the room for another pillow, she realized she was alone in her room. Although the door was open a crack and she saw that someone was seated out in the hall. As if they were guarding it. "Hello?" her voice sounded sore and she winced. Now she was wishing she had a glass of water instead of a pillow.

It was none other than Clark Kent seated outside her room. He jumped up and walked in at the immediate sound of her voice, the sight of him caused her heart to swell. She wasn't alone after all!

"Hi," Clark was hesitant….tentative, his facial expression inscrutable. "How are you feeling?"

"Thirsty," Lois croaked.

She watched as Clark poured her a glass of water from the tap in the sink in her room. He stuck a straw in it from the stand by her bed, and held the glass to her lips so she could take a sip. The cold water soothed the burning ache in her throat.

"What happened?" Lois asked.

Clark pulled up a chair next to her bed and sat, his gaze somber. "Lex Luthor made it look like you were dead. He fooled everyone even Superman. Your red Honda was destroyed. Later when Superman went to your grave to say goodbye, he x-rayed your coffin and discovered you weren't there."

"Oh, God," Lois murmured. "That means Lex won and took over Bruce Wayne's company. Lex wanted to use me as a distraction for Superman."

Lois struggled to sit up better. Noticing, Clark quickly jumped out of his chair and grabbed an extra pillow. He plumped it and placed it behind her with the other pillow, and gently instructed her to lean back.

"Thanks," Lois smiled as Clark sat down once again in the chair. "I know I'm in a hospital, but why?"

Any smile that was on Clark's face disappeared as a grim look thinned his lips. "You inhaled a lot of the gas that was used on you to put you in a deep slumber. You were also dehydrated and malnourished. You were pretty weak by the time Superman and I got to you. You were unconscious."

Lois closed her eyes remembering those moments when she thought she wasn't going to make it. If not for Superman, she'd be dead right now.

"Where is Superman? I want to thank him." Lois asked. Clark was quiet but only for a brief moment. He seemed contemplative.

"He knows and the medics made Superman leave before I arrived. I called your family and let them know you were here." Clark hated sometimes living a double life. He hated lying to her. It was only to keep her safe. Even though right now it seemed that even though she didn't know his dual identity, it was still hard to keep her safe.

Lois closed her eyes again, wishing she could've thanked Superman personally. Then she remembered something from earlier that she read on this morning's edition of the Daily Planet. "You worked with my cousin Chloe on the story?"

Clark stood, his gaze drifting away from Lois's face towards the bank of windows behind her. He remembered rescuing Chloe, and the look on her face when she found out that Superman was in Gotham City.

"I worked with Chloe on finding you. When Superman discovered that there was no body under your headstone he immediately notified me. I researched what story you were working on and vaguely remembered that Bruce Wayne was dating Chloe, whom I went to high school with. Together we discovered that that Lex Luthor was trying to steal Bruce Wayne's and other billionaire's companies, and that he was getting them by killing some of their leaders. Lex did try and use you as a decoy with Superman. He forgot though that in Gotham City there is a Batman."

"Batman?" Lois inquired suddenly intrigued.

"He's an interesting character," Clark smiled wistfully, remembering when Batman showed up at his hotel room and demanded that he stay away from Chloe. Very overprotective almost as though he were her boyfriend or fiancé. Once he returned, it didn't take him long to put two and two together that Bruce Wayne and Batman were one in the same. Much like how him and his alter ego Superman was.

"Chloe mentioned him once to me. Said he's a lot like Bruce Wayne. Mysterious and protective. She thought it was neat!" Lois admitted. Her thought though seemed unfinished, as though her trail of thought was realizing something else. Could it be that she was finally making a connection between him and his alter ego self Superman?

"And?" Clark prompted.

"It's just…" Lois frowned thoughtfully then mused. "It just sort of reminds me of you and Superman. You two have so many similarities. You both try and do good in the world. You both care about people. You're both smart and kind. And you both seem to be constantly around just in the nick of time when I need my butt saved both physically or emotionally. Which is kind of uncanny."

Clark's smile grew. Lois was starting to connect the dots. She was starting to see him for the man he really was. Only she was going to hate him when she found out that he lied to her about having a dual identity, and not telling her right away that he was both men. So that she wouldn't hate him right away, he distracted her a little.

"If it hadn't been for Batman and Chloe, Superman and I wouldn't have been able to find you," he mentioned off-handedly.

Lois looked at Clark and realized that he was right. Even though Superman had powers and Clark was an amazing investigative reporter, they couldn't do everything on their own. Gotham City was larger than Metropolis and to track down Lex Luthor, keep an eye on Bruce Wayne, and find her….that large of a task she could easily see Clark and Superman needing both Chloe and Batman's help.

"I'm glad you guys were able to work together. You saved my life. Thanks," Lois said with a soft expulsion of breath.

Clark smiled down at her, "It's a life worth saving." He sat down next to her, which prompted Lois to lean over and softly kiss him on the cheek in gratitude. They shared a gaze then that lasted longer than Clark thought it would. She's what I want, he thought. And then the moment ended.

"When can I get out of here?" Lois asked.

"The doctor said he'd release you sometime this morning. I'll go see if I can find him and get some information for you."

He seemed sad to leave the room but went anyway.

As Clark left the room, Lois turned her head towards the window where bright rays from the sun were entering and bathing her hospital room.

The doctor released Lois just before noon and the drive back to Lois's apartment was silent. Disaster had been so close when he had almost lost Lois. Clark tightened his hands on the steering wheel. He would make sure that he would never lose her again. Clark loved her with every fiber of his being. He wanted nothing more than to keep her safe and warm. He didn't want her to be a target anymore. He had to focus even more now on making her appear to be his girl and not Superman's. Even though, he technically was Superman.

"Would you like me to stay until you feel better on your feet?" Clark asked. "You must still be kind of reeling."

"Sure," Lois answered him softly, after thinking it over. "I'd like that."

Clark Kent beamed. Lois was starting to accept him as something more than possibly a friend. In time, he could see them together as a couple. And she would then hopefully be seen as Clark's girl then by the bad guys and not as Superman's girl. And he could keep her safe. Therefore, making both their futures bright. This was an appealing target.

The End!


End file.
